NEW DELHI: A senior coast guard officer has reportedly been removed from his post after he contradicted the Indian government and said coast guard personnel had destroyed a Pakistani "terror boat" last year.

Press Trust of India quotes unnamed coast guard officials as saying Tuesday that the removal of B.K. Loshali as chief of staff in the northwest region was a routine matter while his comments were being investigated.

The Defense Ministry said it stood by its version of events. The ministry has said the four men aboard the fishing boat stocked with explosives blew it up themselves as Indian coast guard officers approached on New Year's Eve.

Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar also said Loshali would be disciplined if the inquiry proved he had made the remarks.-AP